Despite its cutesy image, this strategy VR game provides intense action set in a beautiful world.

By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content

When it comes to virtual reality, the first types of experiences you hear people mention are those that really pull the player in and make them feel like they are these different characters. So, when I first heard that Cosmic Trip, a virtual reality real-time strategy game, was being developed by Funktronic Labs, I was a bit curious, but also wary of what the final product would be. An RTS in virtual reality? It didn’t seem like a winning idea, but when I finally dove into the game, I realized I should have never doubted Funktronic’s ability to create an engaging, fun, and terrifically immersive environment ripe for intense RTS action.

Cosmic Trip

Cosmic Trip is reminiscent of other RTS games. You must gather supplies using worker bots, create soldiers, build bases, and eventually take out enemies as you try to survive as many waves as possible before your defenses crumble. To get around the world, you’ll need to teleport to the different bases. This will let you move quickly between areas, which will come in handy as the waves get progressively tougher throughout the match.

While not as immersive as games that offer full room-scale VR, Cosmic Trip does a great job of making you feel like you’re in this world. The enemies respond to your actions, as well as your AI worker bots that wave if they don’t have something to do. On top of that, the controls are easy to manage, and it was very simple to get set up and move through the game without much of an issue.

That said, this game will suffer if you have a smaller play space, which is something to keep in mind if you don’t have a large office or dedicated virtual reality room. If you can make it work, though, the awe that comes with struggling to keep things managed, while constantly fighting off enemies is a rush that never subsides. Unlike other RTS games (both inside and outside of VR), Cosmic Trip takes on enemy attacks more like a wave-based shooter, which works well given the approach that Funktronic Labs took with the game. It makes for an intense experience.

Cosmic Trip

Cosmic Trip is a fantastic game for VR lovers, and it shows that while traditional RTS might be a bit too complex for virtual reality, there is still a place for games that draw inspiration from the best that the genre has to offer. On top of that, it also shows that you don’t have to serve up a first-person shooter experience to make players feel like they are a part of the world and the environment that they explore.